Bottle top seal cutter



y 1951 H. A. SNECKNER 2,561,758

BQTTLE TOP- SEAL CUTTER Filed Feb. 27. 1948 YVINVENTOR HAROLD A. SNECKNER I BY L ATTORNEY UNITED" Patented July 24, 1951 STATE-S PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a bottle top seal cutter.

Under present day practices, many bottled articles are sealed with a plastic cover which fits tightly over the cap or cork closing the bottle opening and extends downwardly around the neck of the bottle. Materials other than plastics, such as metal foil, are also used for this seal, and, in any case, it is first necessary that the seal be cut or otherwise broken before the bottle can be opened. In the case of plastic seals, particularly, this is quite difficult to do, since the plastic cover is tough and clings with a skin effect to the bottle and the cork or cap closing it.

Heretofore, a sharp pointed object such as a paring knife, or the like, has been used to cut the seal. The use of such an instrument often results in an injury to the person using it. Moreover, in severing the seal for corked bottles, the knife often slips and cuts off the entire head of the cork making necessary the use of a cork screw to open the bottle.

It is, therefore, a general object of the instant invention to provide a bottle top seal cutter which will obviate the aforementioned difliculties, one which is economical to manufacture, is neat in appearance, is easy to operate and one which is positive in action.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the specification proceeds and a more comprehensive understanding of the invention will be afforded from thefollowing detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side view of a bottle top seal cutter embodying the instant invention and showing the same in its opened position.

Figs. 2 and 3 are rear and front end views, respectively, of the cutter shown in Fig. 1, also in open position,

Fig. 4 is a top view of the same in its closed position, and

Fig. 5 is a side view of the cutter illustrating the same in position for use on a bottle top.

In its preferred embodiment, the cutter comprises two blade, or cutter, supporting members I l and I2, each of which are formed, respectively, with two side wings l3 and I4 and I5 and [6. The member ll supports an arcuate blade, or cutter, I! and the member l2 carries a similar blade, or cutter, 18. A headed pin is is passed through the wings of both the members I I and [2 about which these members are pivoted. They are urged into a normally closed position, in which the blade I! passes under the blade l8, by a tension spring 2| having one of its ends secured to the member H and its other end fastened to the member [2, as shown. An extension, which for added convenience takes the form of a bottle cap puller 22, is attached to, or is formed as a part of, the member i l for the purpose of giving added leverage to this element when the same is pivoted about the pin l to open the cutter for positioning the same as shown in Fig. 5.

Although the spring 2| is described as a tension spring, it may also be a compression spring, in which case the two members H and I2 are maintained normally in an open position. The use of a tension spring, however, has the advantage of holding the cutter in a closed position where the blades l1 and I8 are protected against injury and, also, against coming in contact with clothing or other objects against which they might attach. Additionally, the use of a tension spring enables the user to more easily and accurately position the cutter blades at the exact point where severance of the seal is desired, it being understood that the forces exerted by the spring are of such magnitude as to effect this purpose, only, the actual cutting forces being applied by manually urging the two members II and 12 toward each other.

Although the operation of the device is thought to be obvious, it may be pointed out that the cutter is first opened by pivoting the members H and I2 outwardly against the forces of the spring 2|. Next, the cutter is positioned on the bottle top as shown in Fig. 5 with the blades ii and i8 contacting the seal 23 of the bottle 24 at the point where severance is to be made. Thereafter, the fingers of the operator are moved downwardly along the cutter to a point where sufiicient pressure may be applied to the members i l and ii! to urge the blades I 7 and I8 into the seal a distance sufiicient only to cut the seal. The cutter is then turned about the bottle top until the seal is completely severed. If the bottle is capped, the cap may be removed by the puller 22, or if it is corked, the cork is not cut off and may be removed easily.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described it is conceivable that structural changes could be made thereto. Insofar as such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the appended claim, they are considered to be covered as if described.

What is claimed is:

In a bottle top seal cutter, two elongated blade supporting members, means for pivotall'y connecting said members at one end of each, an extension carried on one of said members adapted to receive a force for pivoting said members to open positions, an arcuate blade carried on each of the other ends of said members, and a tension spring secured at its ends to each of said members for urging said blades each toward the other.

HAROLD A. SNECKNER.

4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,227,421 Bjork Jan. 7, 1941 

